[charlie22]

just going by what the coach told the newspaper

With all respect, if you are referring to what Dale told the newspaper in the linked article, I did not read in the article that Dale said spring football was mandatory. He said almost all players attended spring football, including those that participate in track and baseball but he did not say those multi sport athletes attended every Spring football practice.

Dale works closely with the baseball and track coaches to coordinate schedules. I hate talking in absolutes because there is usually an exception that gets thrown up in my face, but from what I've observed over the many years I've watched Highlands Spring football, most of the baseball players miss a large majority of the Spring Football practices. They might make 3 or 4, but that's about it. Most attend on the days that the baseball coach doesn't have baseball at all or when the weather is so bad that the baseball coach tells his players that also play football to go to football practice.